Vectoring Technology to Boost DSL Adoption

July 1, 2013, 10:21 p.m.
Khin Sandi Lynn, Industry Analyst

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Vectoring technology is gaining interest among DSL broadband operators in many countries. Recently, German operator Deutsche Telekom and Italian operator, Telecom Italia have decided to deploy vectored technology to upgrade its copper network. More operators are testing vectoring in their copper networks to make decisions for deployment. U.K. operator British Telecom is one of those testing vectored VDSL2.

Since deploying FTTH is estimated three times more costly than fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) solution, using vectoring technology will be a cost-effective way to offer fiber-like broadband speed for the last segment. Given the uncertain economic situation, more European operators are likely to choose FTTN to upgrade their existing networks.

In Asia Pacific, China Telecom which set a target of 100 million FTTH subscribers by 2015, has now decided to deploy vectoring technology for high-speed broadband services. It is not clearly known yet whether China Telecom will completely change its FTTH direction to vectored VDSL technology, which is more likely to be commercially successful for less-populated areas.

Besides China and European countries, Australia might use vectoring technology to offer more economically effective high-speed broadband. Although the Australian government has set targets to lay fiberoptic cables to 93% of Australian homes, the Coalition points out that deploying FTTN is more cost-effective. Vectoring technology may help the Coalition's plan to offer high-speed broadband over a FTTN solution. The decision to choose FTTH or FTTN is yet unannounced. Nevertheless, vectoring technology is very likely to boost the growth of DSL broadband deployment.